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Cardinals add four pitchers to 40-man roster

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Press Release |

ST. LOUIS, Mo., November 20, 2012 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have added right-handed pitchers Michael Blazek, Keith Butler , Eric Fornataro and lefthander Kevin Siegrist to the club’s 40-man Major League roster. All four players were purchased from Springfield (AA).

Blazek, 23, the Cardinals’ 35th round selection in the June 2007 First-Year Player Draft (1,068th overall), fanned 83 batters in 80.0 innings pitched for Texas League Champion Springfield (AA) this season. In 40 games (7 starts), Blazek was 5-8 with a 4.16 ERA for the Cardinals in 2012 and he ranked among TL leaders with 8 Holds.

Butler, 23, was the Cardinals’ 24th round selection in the June 2009 First-Year Player Draft (729th overall) out of Wabash Valley (Ill.) College. Butler led the Springfield Cardinals with 25 saves, finishing 2nd in the Texas League, and he was 5-1 with a 2.76 ERA in 53 appearances – all in relief.

Fornataro, 24, was a 6th round (185th overall) selection by the Cardinals in 2008 out of Miami-Dade Community College. He led the Texas League (AA) with 16 Holds this past season while posting a 3-3 mark with a 2.39 ERA and 5 saves in his 57 appearances for Springfield.

Siegrist, 23, split time between Palm Beach (A) and Springfield (AA) in 2012 after having received a non-roster invite to the Cardinals Major League Spring Training camp in February. The 6-5, 190-pound lefty was the Cardinals’ 41st (1,235th overall) selection in the 2007 draft out of Palm Beach Community College. Siegrist was a perfect 6-0 with a 2.28 ERA in 10 starts for Palm Beach. He went 1-2, 3.62 ERA in 8 games (5 starts) for Double-A Springfield. The Cardinals Major League roster is currently at 39 players: